The Rhone Valley wine region of France looks to some extent like a small version of Italy as it extends about 200 kilometers from the south of Lyon to just south of Avignon. In this area the climate varies from the Rhone's cold winters and warm summers to the classic Mediterranean where the summers are hot and the winters mild.
The relatively constant sun combines with granite soil of the north and the limestone soil of the south to produce Grenache, Carignan and Syrah used in red wines and Clairette, Ugni Blanc and Grenache Blanc used to produce white wines.
The Grenache is the major grape grown with more than half of the total red wine grapes grown while the Clairette makes up just over one third of the white wine grapes grown in the region. In total approximately 8-10 thousand winemakers produce some 450 million bottles of wine on a huge 170,000 acres of land of which 75 percent is given over to the full-bodied Côte Rôtie in the north and the fruity reds of Châteauneuf du Pape in the south.
One particular village, Chartreuse de Valbonne, enjoys a quite different climate from that of the surrounding area. Surrounded by forested horseshoe-shaped hills there are numberless terraces composed of limestone and stony chalk. Some of the wine barrels of the area date clear back to the 13th century and the village is home to plump Viognier, Grenache noir and spicy Syrah grapes with aromas of violet and acacia honey.
Considered to be some of the best of the Côtes du Rhône villages are Cairanne and Rasteau with Rasteau's tannic Domaine du Trapadis being the preference of those seeking a more zesty wine and Cairanne's softer Domaine Catherine Le Goeuil being appreciated by the easy-going.
From the Côtes du Rhône villages clay and stony limestone earth come the Syrah and Grenache grapes that are turned into approximately 19,000,000 bottles of medium-bodied fruity red wines.
The history of the wine of Gigondas can be traced back to the Roman Empire and good advantage is taken nowadays of the Mediterranean weather and the red clay soil to make an aromatic alternative to the more expensive Châteauneuf du Pape. On approximately 3,000 acres vintners produce the Mourvèdre, Grenache and Syrah grapes which go to make 5.5 million bottles of this first class wine.
For those whose mouth requires a small shock of pleasure there is the Vignobles Darriaud's Grenache Syrah which is a full-bodied red wine with plumy and earthy aromas and with chocolate tones which combine with a peppery finish once the wine has aged for approximately 3 to 5 years.
In conclusion, we must take a look at the slopes of Châteauneuf du Pape which lie between Orange and Avignon and which were once summer retreat of numerous Popes. The wine from this area is thick and richly colored by the Grenache, Syrah, Clairette and some ten other grape varieties. On approximately 7,600 acres of sandy red clay and quartz soil are grown the vines which produce 13,000,000 bottles of wine which can age for up to 20 years with aromas of cinnamon, red fruits and vanilla.
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